Discalimer: I do not own the labyrinth, character names, and or muppets. Also this story is mine and I'd appricate no one stealing it. glares Anyways please R&R and I hope you all like it.
Zoë got up early Saturday morning around seven thirty and ran down the stairs excitedly. Today was her sixteenth birthday and it was also the day of her party. She knew that her parents would already be downstairs tending to Luther and her mother was preparing breakfast. Zoë was so excited about her "big" day, she kept playing scenes of her parents smothering her with hugs and kisses of joy for their daughter.
She was disappointed when she entered the kitchen and no one noticed her because they were bent over a screaming Luther. "Oh, now what's wrong with him now dear?" her father asked her mother frowning.
" I just don't know Chase..." her mother answered trailing off as she lifted the distraught baby from his highchair. Zoë rolled her eyes and walked to the table angrily, Luther always got all the attention if he was screaming or not and in her opinion it just wasn't fair. When Luther smiled at her from over their fathers shoulder, she stuck her tongue out at him and grabbed a piece of toast from a plate on the table.
After the whole episode at breakfast she trudged up to her room where she slammed the door shut. With her door closed she began to rummage through her clothing drawers until she found an outfit she liked then put it on. The outfit she'd chosen consisted of a pair of overalls and a printed tee that bore the logo Etenies. She studied herself in her mirror and then frowned her hair was a disaster! It was a mass of frizz and stuck up slightly at odd angles in certain places. She grabbed her brush from her vanity beside her dresser, brushed out her long wavy auburn hair and tied it back in a pony tail. "Now to brush my teeth and wash my face." she said aloud to no one in particular.
Once she'd finished the tasks of washing her face and brushing her teeth she went back into her room. Looking around her room she frowned in frustration she'd misplaced her book, and now she'd have to search for it. After she paused a moment and thought about it she began to scan her four book shelves for it. The book she was looking for was called Labyrinth and it was one of her favorites. She often pretended that she was the heroine of the story and tried to memorize it's contents. Most of the time her fantasies would take her on many adventures throughout the labyrinth, where she'd eventually make her way to the center and defeat the Goblin King.
"AHHA!" she exclaimed when she finally located it in between Sunshine and Blackwood Farm. She smiled triumphantly and then laughed when she realized most of her books consist of. They were mostly novels about vampires,werewolves and others of that ilk. She had a few others of course that were of different genres but she loved things that had to do with the occult. That was also a reason why she thought Labyrinth was a funny content of her book collection, as for it being her favorite that was an oddity within it's self. She knew why of course it was her favorite but the reasons were a little sketchy to even herself.
Zoë had first received the book from her great aunt Sarah when she was ten for a birthday present. She remembered it as if it were yesterday and what her aunt had said to her about the book. She'd told Zoë to be careful with it and beware the words she spoke aloud from it's contents and she also told her that books that meant something to the reader held great power. She had never know what aunt Sarah had meant by this and tried to ask Papa Toby . He'd only shrugged at Zoë and patted her head absently and told her not to worry about things Sarah said. He'd also mentioned something about a story Sarah used to tell when he were her age about him being kidnapped from goblins as a baby and that it had something to do with the book she'd given Zoë.
Now as she sat there with the book in her hands she wondered if the pages and the characters within it were really able to come true. She wanted desperately to be away from Luther and his obnoxious fits of outrage for at least some small amount of time. Also she had to admit sometimes he cramped her style too. Especially when she had to stay home and watch him every weekend. She was never able to go out with her friends or go on a date because of him and his inability to care for himself. For these reasons she wanted him to disappear sometimes but it didn't mean she didn't love him because she did. In fact she loved him so much she never aloud any of her friends to hold him because she feared they may drop him. However, Luther was a pest to her too at times and he always had something to wail about.
She sighed reflectively she got up from the floor grabbed a hoodie form behind her door. Then she walked down the stairs and into the hall , slipping on her skater shoes that also bore the logo of Etanies and walked out the front door. She wanted to go out to the park and practice the lines in Labyrinth before things got too busy in the house. She looked around the yard briefly; then whistled loudly and from behind the house emerged a huge Alaskan malamute husky . His blue eyes stared up at her happily and he wagged his tail absently. "Atilla there you are." Zoë said as she patted his massive head. "You ready for a walk boy?" she asked still stroking his head. The giant dog bark once to indicate yes and gave Zoë a small nudge with his black wet nose. "All right then Atilla lets go." she continued as they strolled out of the yard and down the street.
When they finally arrived at the park she sat down on a stone bench near an intricate carved statue of a lion. Then she opened Labyrinth and began her memorization's. Once she thought she had it down she put index finger in between the book to hold the page she was on and began to recite what she'd memorized. " I've come to take back the child you have stolen, for my kingdom is as great as yours and you..." she paused and opened the book scowling and read the words and then sighed angrily. "Now how can I not remember a stupid line like that." she protested and then began reciting anew. Zoë continued this for two more hours with Atilla sitting idly by watching her.
When thunder began to clap in the sky the mammoth dog got to his feet and barked at Zoë. "I know . I Know." she answered him annoyed and scowled at him. The dog only yawned and stared up into a tree nearby where an white owl was perched watching them throughout Zoë's reciting. Zoë took notice that the owl seemed to annoy the dog and she too looked up at it and shivered involuntarily. It was the biggest owl she'd over seen with giant eyes of amber that stared back at her with a unsettling human like knowledge. "come on Atilla." Zoë said a quiver of fear in her voice as she tugged on the dogs collar and another clap of thunder rumbled above them. The owl hooted eerily when she and Atilla jogged out of the park, as fat drops of rain fell on them
When they finally arrived home her mother was waiting angrily in front of the door. "Zoë where have you been? Your father and I have been worried about you, we didn't know where you'd gone." she hollered pointing her finger at Zoë.
" I just went to the park Ma. " she answered her mother as she began to usher Atilla into the house in front of her.
"Oh no Zo I don't think so, he's soaking wet. Not in my house young lady you know better." she said as she pointed her finger in the direction of the garage and looked sternly at Atilla. The dog whined once and loped off to the garage reluctantly with his tail high up in the air. Her mother scowled after him and shook her head sighing with hands upon her hips "I swear that dog thinks he owns the place."
Then she waved Zoë through the door and into the house where her father stood cradling Luther in his arms. The baby was quite for the moment and watched his sister contentedly as her mother began a long diatribe about going out and not telling her where she was going. Zoë nodded feeling unjustified and when she was sure that her mother had finished she added her own comments in. "Nice birthday this' been." she stated dryly and stormed out of the room and up the stairs into the sanctuary of her room.
Downstairs she could hear her mother and father speaking in hushed voices about her, but she didn't care. She felt used like an old T-shirt that no one wants around any more. All because it's colors are fading and it has wholes in it, so they just throw it away, and buy some new ones. It was like that she thought with her, Luther and their parents and she was the old T-shirt in the analogy. She sighed angrily pulling out Labyrinth and studying it's contents once more, not caring if she were going to have a party or not anymore. She knew deep down inside that her parents really loved her and Luther the same but most of the time it didn't seem so. Luther was always the center of their attention and sometimes her parents forgot to pick her up from hockey practice because of him.
When she was three quarters of the way through the book she heard commotion from downstairs and the voice of her great aunt "Now where is my niece?" She had to bite her tongue to keep from calling down to her in answer. It made Zoë feel cheap to treat the one person in the whole world who did understand her like this but she did it anyway. She kept making up reasons to justify her decision as she heard the sounds of foot steps approaching toward her room. Before she knew what was happening there was a knock on her bedroom door then someone asking if she were okay, it was her great aunt Sarah at her door.
After a moments pause she answered "Come in Auntie Sara." Her aunt wasted no time in gliding into the room and shutting the door behind her with a soft click.
"You okay honey?" she asked as she sat down beside Zoë on the bed and patted her on the back. "I'll be fine Auntie." she said and faked a smile that she hoped would appease her aunt.
However, it didn't and Sarah looked down on her frowning and said "Now Zoë I know somethings wrong and I think I know what it is. When I was about your age maybe a year younger I felt the same way about Toby, only it was different too. You see your grandfather Toby is my half brother he and I have a different mother. I always thought it was unfair that he had two parents and I only had one and with that one he still had more than I did."
Zoë studied her great aunt for a second then nodded in understanding and asked "What did you do Auntie Sarah?"
Sarah smiled at Zoë sadly and shook her head regretfully as memories flooded back to her."I did one of the worst things a person can do to someone they care about, I wished him away to the Goblin King." she said a tear now trickling down her face.
" You what?" Zoë asked confused and looked at the book that now lay on her bead between her and her aunt. Sarah seen where her brothers granddaughter was looking and nodded solemnly in answer.
" I told you Zoë books can be very powerful to those who believe in them, so take my advice don't go off wishing your brother away to Goblin City."Sarah told her in a stern voice and took Zoë's hand in her own. "Now if I remember correctly you were supposed to be having a birthday party today." she continued dragging Zoë downstairs to the celebration.
Zoë wasn't surprised when she arrived down there and the normal volume of people occupied her living room ,dining room, and kitchen. A few of her friends from school had shown up too Rachel, Ian, and Mina who were assembled near a snack table. They chatted amicably to one another oblivious to the many conversations going on about them with in the spacious room. Zoë couldn't help but laugh at her friends foolishness and smiled at her aunt thankfully. Sarah mouthed the words your welcome to her and gave her a mock kick in the direction of her friends.
The party was far better than what Zoë had expected and she stayed with her friends avoiding her parents whenever possible. When the time for cake and presents came she whopped with joy, opening up a gift that contained an i-pod. She thanked Papa Toby and Grandma Aura for the wonderful gift and everyone else too even though their gifts were cards. The clock chimed eight o'clock and people began to leave giving her well wishes and an occasional kiss on the cheek.
When all her guest had finally vacated the house she collected her gifts and went up stairs grudgingly wishing her parents goodnight. Her father wished her goodnight first as he checked on Luther and kissed her on the head."Happy birthday Pumptin." he said and let her slip into her room. Her mothers goodnight came muffled behind her door with a hint of distress and then there was nothing and she fell asleep.
The next day she awoke around eight o'clock in the morning and went about her normal morning routine. She got dressed, brushed her teeth, hair,and washed her face then ate breakfast. After breakfast she went back to her room and grabbed Labyrinth from her night stand and went to the park again with Atilla in tow. Atilla accompanied Zoë where ever she went and looked over her faithfully.
Once at the park Zoë began reciting from the book again still having to look at the book for the one line. She ground her white teeth in frustration every time she made a mistake unaware of the snowy owl that watched her. Atilla on the other hand took notice of the bird and kept a careful watch on it, he didn't trust it in anyway. He felt as if the owl were waiting for some cue and bared his teeth at it in a silent growl for most of the day. Around lunch time Zoë sat down exhausted upon a ornate chiseled stone park bench and sighed annoyed.
When the church bells struck five she got up looking about herself surprised. She couldn't believe that it was that late already and looked at Atilla wide eyed. "Why didn't you tell me that it was getting that late?" she chided the dog. He only whined and looked back at the large white owl again angrily. "what are you staring at?" Zoë asked of him now confused.
Seeing what it was he was so interested in she scoffed "It's only an owl Atilla come on lets get going before Mom has a fit." Atilla gave a dogs equivalent to a sigh and reluctantly started to move away from the owl. "race ya." Zoë said to him when he reached her and they ran all the way home keeping stride with one another. Usually neither of them won because they felt a strong desire to be close to one another in everything, since Atilla was a pup things had been that way.
Once they arrived home Atilla went to the back yard and to his dog house and Zoë to the house. In the house her mother was waiting yet again for her with one of her famous motherly speeches. "Zo you know that your father and I had been planning a night out for awhile now, so why do you have to pull such stunts?" she asked her daughter. Zoë only shifted her weight from one foot to another and bit her lip.
"Come on now dear you'll ruin our night if you get so angry." came her fathers voice. Zoë rolled her eyes, and waited for her mother to give up. She wanted her to leave her alone, and take Luther with her, but of course she couldn't have everything.
"If you don't leave you'll be late for your reservations." Zoë commented, and ran up the stairs.
"That girl has become so frustrating!" her mother exclaimed, handing Luther to her father, who brought him to the nursery.